According to The (Charleston) Post and Courier, tobacco companies are pulling out all the stops in order to stop a hike in South Carolina's tobacco tax.

A cigarette company is using free beer, smokes and scantily clad women to recruit people to fight a potential tax increase.

R.J. Reynolds launched its campaign against a proposed 32-cent tax hike Monday night at a West Columbia bar. Swaying to the music of alt-country rockers Cross Canadian Ragweed, company officials and young women offered a free pack of cigarettes to smokers or a free beer to nonsmokers who signed a petition urging state lawmakers not to increase the state's cigarette tax. At 7 cents per pack, it is the lowest rate in the nation.

Others were lured to sign a large petition board that hung on the wall. The company hired young women - some of whom wore short skirts and white tank tops with "Axe the Tax" written across their chests in red marker - to stand by with pens.

Meanwhile, a bill to pay college athletes in South Carolina was rejected in record time, the Post and Courier reports.

The House's Higher Education Subcommittee took testimony from one person, university of South Carolina lobbyist John Gregory.

"We'd no longer be able to compete in NCAA sports," he said. "Forget the (basketball) tournament, forget bowl games, we wouldn't have to worry aboutthat."

It took the four members of the House panel less than 30 seconds to kill the measure.